UAVAid and Halkin Group have signed an MOU to support Kenya COVID recovery with ‘drones’ for national Healthcare and Economic Development
UAVaid, one of the UK’s leading developers of specialist ‘drone’ technology, has signed an agreement with Halkin Group, paving the way for their drones to be brought to Kenya to help the country rebuild and strengthen its healthcare system and economy, as part of a COVID response.
The memorandum of understanding MOU signed between the two organisations is aimed at leading to the deployment of UAVaid’s multi-role HANSARD drone to Kenya, providing the country with a new airborne capability for medical deliveries, agriculture development, infrastructure inspection, public safety and wildlife protection across the country. This agreement follows the recent announcement that Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has passed a key piece of legislation that will authorise drones to start operating in Kenya.
The HANSARD drone is capable of delivering cargo (including medical supplies) of up to 10kg at a time over journey distances of up to 300 km in a single flight. It was developed by UAVaid in the UK and EU,specifically for African requirements. It combines long range cargo delivery with an aerial monitoring capability suitable for security, vegetation monitoring and scientific analysis roles. The system has already successfully conducted medical delivery flights, mapping and wildlife support in Malawi. The collaboration with Halkin Group builds on the local knowledge and infrastructure of this Kenyan based organisation for accelerating the responsible and ethical adoption of this new technology.
UAVAid, said “We are delighted to be working with Halkin Group to introduce the HANSARD drone to Kenya, and support the country as it develops in the aftermath of COVID. The ability of the drone to make long range medical deliveries can significantly improve healthcare at the point-of-need whilst minimising virus transmission risk. The multi-role capabilities will help the Kenyan people by supporting the economic recovery through the development of the livestock, agriculture and security sectors”.
Halkin Group, said: “This is an important development at a critical time for Kenya and the HANSARD will become a new asset to support the Kenyan’s during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. The HANSARD will bring new standards of drone performance, utility and safety to Kenya, something reflected by its European Union Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) certification. The track record of success in Spain and Malawi has proven the value of the system in supporting a wide range of public and private services and its application here will benefit multiple use cases such as Agriculture, Infrastructure Monitoring, Healthcare, Insurance, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil & Gas Extraction, E-commerce delivery and Safety and Security.”
